Through the burns and the Pain
by Demo-nisshu jinketsu Duke
Summary: Steven lost a fight and can't recover from it, even with the fountain. What's the cause of it and how do you extinguish it? Can they? This was inspired by a great artist on Instagram called @just somedoodles. please check out their work.


**'Oh..OH STARS! That's bad.'**

That was the thought that ran though his mind…that, weakness and pain, so much pain. It felt as if his abdominal were being stabbed and pierced continuously.

**'Where's that pain coming from? and why does it feels like I am submerged?'**

He opened his eyes as hard as it was to and looked down. His eyes started watering as fear gripped his heart.

**'No..No..NO! FUCKING NO!'**

His mind started running a mile a attosecond, looking at his damaged gem. Thoughts running through the last few hours..Days, maybe? How long was he here? He silently winced as he felt that pain again..why wasn't the fountain working? He looked at his gem again..as memories flowed back.

**'Splintered, cracked, paled and caved in at the top… quite a number on me.'**

He remembered now, It was during a simple artifact mission with Connie, Amethyst, Bismuth and Lion. The pentagon shaped temple they explored were littered with mazes filled with traps like spiked ceiling, pitfalls and fire spewing walls. Exciting, but still child's play for the experienced hybrid and his entourage. When they reached the throne room, Steven's team were surprised to see that someone had already beaten them it. A draconian looking gem mutant, the size of a three ruby fusion with a shade of purple similar to Spinel. It held the object, a colorless crystal lantern with a transparent flame, in between its claws, admiring it; before turning towards the Crystal Gems. With a small 'smile' on it face it gave off a mighty roar; the force and volume throwing the team to their knees.

It launched itself towards Stevonnie, as they were recuperating from its initial attack. The last thing Steven remembered was forcibly unfusing Stevonnie before receiving a thunderous blow straight to the gem, the lantern turning a dull rose pink, and Connie blood curdling scream of his name.

"Steven, please open your eyes."

With as much strength he could muster he turned towards the sound of the voice…and the scene caused more pain him even more than the fight.

Garnet had unfused to Sapphire and Ruby. Sapphire blaming herself for not being able to see this happening and Ruby desperately trying to dissuade her from such thoughts, while failing to stay calm as lava hot tears fell from her eyes. The second furthest from the fountain

Bismuth held Peridot and Lapis in a huddle of tears furthest away from the fountain, fighting to stay strong herself while trying to reassure the two that he would make it through this.

Pearl and Amethyst held each other for dear life as they try to find a bit of solace; the duo tears and sobs louder than anyone else's. They were the second closest to the fountain

Though none of theirs was the voice he heard. That pleading, heartbreaking voice that simultaneously killed and strengthening him.

"Steven."

He could hear them, even in the state he was in. That one belonged to the one at the very edge of the fountain. Tears streamed down her closed eyes, pure anguish on her face as she gripped the fountain edge, on her knees as small whispers of grief filled swears and beseeching statements for his safety came from her.

"Connie.."

His voice was so low but they all heard it as if it was shouted out though a blow horn. Connie wasted no time getting into the fountain and to her best friend's side. Gently, she wrapped him up in a comforting embrace as she led him to the shallow part of the fountain, laying him down upon her lap so everything below his chest was submerged. He watched as their face contorted between anguish and relief as they all embraced him. He allowed himself to bask in it, despite the numbing pain from his gem.

"Hey guys." He gave a weak smirk as he looked around. "How long was I out?"

"Far too long,baby. You have us worried sick."

Steven chuckled slightly with a groan towards Pearl reprimand. He winced and threw his head back at the pain from his gem. Connie grabbed his hand tightly yet reassuringly, trying to calm him down.

"Seems like I'm still not healed all the way, Anyone knows why the fountain isn't working?"

"The lantern."

Steven turned his head to Sapphire,the sorrow in her eye and stance scared him.

"Steven, Amethyst told us what happened. The translucent flame took on your gem color correct."

"Yeah I saw it before I passed out…"

Sapphire sighed sadly and clenched her fist but controlled herself enough to avoid dropping to sub-zero temperatures. "The lantern's flame is burning your gem essence as fast as the fountain is attempting to heal it..maybe even faster…"

Steven's eyes widen at the statement, "What do you mean burn? What does that mean for me?"

Sapphire couldn't answer him…and that was confirmation enough. His head dropped low unable to face them. He started to tremble and grabbed on to Connie arm who held him closer and tighter, allowing his tears to fall upon her.

"Sapphire, is there nothing we can do?"

"Can we bust up the lantern at the least?"

Sapphire turned towards Amethyst and Pearl anger and frustration on her face. "HOW?! I can't even find where the monster who did this is! it's dodging MY future vision, NOT Garnets, MINES! I'm trying to find them, predict them, and nothing…Steven's…Our Son is…And there's nothing I can do to.."

Sapphire nearly collapsed in sorrow as the sobs resurfaced again. Ruby instantly held on to her wife as she turned to the others. She spoke calmly but hotly.

"She's been looking ever since Lion and Connie brought Steven ..Garnet probably have a better chance of finding them…but as we are now…"

Ruby yet the sentence hung but it was clear what she was saying. Garnet was an impossibility at the moment for the power couple. The thought, the almost certain reality of losing Steven was that powerful.

"So..we can't find it without find them with future vision. Then we search without it."

The gems turned to the girl who kept him in place, soothingly caressing the now wheezing hybrid chest with the healing water. She looked up at them red and puffy eye but full of steel and determination. The gems could only looked at her sadly and pity.

Pearl sighed gently before answering her firmly "Connie…I know it's hard to-"

"NO! I'm not accepting that!" Connie interrupted in an almost roar. "He would never even think of giving up on anyone of us..We owe him that much."

"We're not giving up on him!" Pearl bit her lip, clenched her fist and glared deeply at her student. "We'd never do that…but" Pearl couldn't keep her anger. She knew that Connie was hurting just as much as anyone of them…by how protective and determined she's being, maybe more than that.

"It's hard for us as well, Nini. We want to search and find them..but..What if he goes while were gone."

Connie turned her glare towards Lapis, who refused to look at her, Eyes on Steven and Steven alone, eyes glazed in a serene sorrow. "My Beach summer fun buddy is in so much pain…and the only thing anyone of us can do is stay with him through this. "

Connie shook her head lightly. The tears started to flow back to the surface as she held the quietly wheezing Steven close to her. "I can't accept that. I refuse to…" the determination was starting to break "I'm supposed to be the one he can rely on, The sword to his shield. His jam bud. His knight. I'm his protector and he only like this cause he protected me."

"Connie-" Bismuth began but was interrupted by the girl again.

"We're gonna get through this…He's gonna get better…" Connie gave them a weak smile through her heartbreak. "I have to believe that…We all do." She turned her sight to the boy in her arms and gave him a quick kiss upon his crown, before looking at him "All of us."

None of the gems could refute her statement or ignore the hurt she was feeling. Her heart was shattering continuously as was theirs, but while they were on the edge of accepting the inevitable, Connie had a stubbornness born out of her love, her loyalty, and valor; and they knew as long as he was still warm, she wasn't going to give up on saving him.

"Then we should look for alternatives."

Steven's eyes widen at the voice and looked up to see Garnet standing in the place of Ruby and Sapphire. He gave her a small smile as he reached for her hand, which she grasped gently but securely. He looked so tormented by the pain but he still smiled. Though haggard breaths, tired wheezing and involuntary groans of unimaginable,murderous pain, he smiled.

"Garnet…Welcome back."

Garnet gave a small teary smile before nodding. " it's good to be back. Steven, I know it's selfish to ask but…I might need you to strain yourself during this time."

"No problem, I can't stay on my back while guys do all the work. What kind of leader would that make -MEUMHMHMH!"

Steven bit back an agonizing scream as his gem literally started to burn even under the fountains essence, causing him to grip both Garnet and Connie as an attempt to brace himself. Eyes close as hot tears ran down his eyes.

"Fuck! It hurts!"

Steven's bitter howl cause distraught among his family, sending them into a silent gems watch in horror, seeing him in so much pain and being helpless to stop it. Never had the crystal gems felt so lost or useless as they did now, being forced to spectate to his torment. Connie and Garnet trying to relax him, by rubbing his stomach and feeding him some of the fountains essence, anything to ease the pain.

"What do we do?" Peridot asked silently unable to look her face into Bismuth chest. The blacksmith had no answer as she could look on herself, the anger at his distress and their inability evident.

"Steven, fuse with me!"

The gems looked up at the girl command. Before anyone of the gems could protest, Steven agreed and hated himself for it. Connie smiled reassuringly before he wrapped his arms around her. Connie looked towards garnet with a silent request to trust hand release him; reluctantly she did.

"I'm here for you, Biscuit. We all are."

Placing a feathery kiss upon his lips gave him a second of peace allowed the gem to glow and them to meld into each other. In Steven place was Stevonnie still in pain, but much less so. They looked down saw the gem, while still damage, cracks receded a bit; visible repair.

"Think we…found an alternative."

Stevonnie voice were pained but it held strength. Their breathing was more subtle as well but they weren't out of the woods yet. Though they were able to sit up on their own.

"That was risky." Garnet while grateful was still stress at the reckless move.

Before Stevonnie could respond Pearl beat her to it. "I agree, what if it went wrong and you caused more stress to his gem?"

"I'm sorry, but Connie refused to let him stay in pain. Not if she could help it , and would've you know it. She diiiiii-"

Stevonnie groan as the pain sparked a bit, causing the gems to surround them in worry.

"It's ok, I can handle it."

"Vonnie."

Stevonnie heard the worry in Amethyst voice and smile gently. "Trust me, I can handle it, as long as they can."

No room for argument was left. "Now what do we do about the flame, cause just because i can handle it doesn't mean I want to."

"The flame is inside of your gem, fulfilling its purpose. It's supposed to burn though all the gems essence…Memories, powers and so forth." Garnet explained, shakily.

"It's like an old school rejuvenator then." Amethyst figured, causing Garnet to shake her head.

"It's deeper than that. It doesn't leave you with anything..once it's done a Gem is nothing more than a rock. No sentience, magic or anything." Pearl explained downtrodden. "The process usually takes approximately 24 hours, but my guess with Steven being half human and now being in the fountain, the process is considerably slowed. Even more so thanks to Stevonnie."

Stevonnie crossed their arms in thought "So wait the flame is like complete and utter hard disk wipe? So why did the lantern turn rose pink?"

Garnet looked at Stevonnie square in the eye as she spoke. "The lantern is an indicator of a gems state as well as a holding cell for a gem essence. It stars out dull and once it reaches its height of luminescence, well that indication of the gems disposal."

Stevonnie looked down at the gem. It wasn't healed any more or less than last time nor was it burning, but the pain was still there and it was a slight bit darker. "What's the plan?"

Garnet crossed her arms with a sigh, before raising two fingers up. " there's two. We need to destroy that lantern and while it's not perfect…i have narrowed its presence to Beta, or the north. Bismuth you take Lapis and Peridot to up North. Pearl and Amethyst we'll head to Beta."

"Wait Garnet. Shouldn't someone stay with Stevonnie, just in case."

Garnet shook her head at Pearl question. "We can't be around for what they need them to do."

Stevonnie arched an eyebrow ignoring the pain in their abdominal. " Exactly what do you need from me?"

Garnet grimaced at the thought but..it was the best bet. " Visible as it is, the flame Is an astral projection, into it gets a gem."Garnet sighed as she continued. "You need to exile or extinguished the flame in your gem."

"Garnet! Their cracked! In pain! Being burned on the inside! You can't possibly expect them to use that power in their-."

"I don't like it anymore than you Pearl, but it's the only way. Either they push it out..or they stay in that state until the flame ends them. Breaking the lantern would not do much but ensure that the flame stay extinguished."

Pearl looked defeated before turning to Stevonnie who was already in the meditative stance Garnet has taught them. Eyes closed, breathing relaxed and their cracked gem glowing and heating.

"Let's go Pearl. Trust them."

Pearl nodded solemnly as she followed the others out to the warp pad. She took a deep breath and donned a determined look on her face before warping away from and leaving stevonnie to their own battle.

Stevonnie opened her eyes with a gasp looking around as they got up. The astral plane was always something strange. A bluish-black plane like always, but there was always something that showed the current conflict in hand.. This was no different, actually it was quite similar to the time of Garnets wedding. A statue of Stevonnie With Steven and Connie sitting on top of theirs in a meditative stance back to difference it was cracked being burned away slowly by a now pinkish flame creature.

Stevonnie wasted no time summoning their shield,a making a makeshift sword out of a bubble shield, and charging forward. The creature moved to meet them with a blast of flame, keeping them in place as they defended. Stevonnie grunted as she could feel the burning of their gem from the outside and the pain It caused.

"SKEEEAAHH!"

The creature increased its flame intensity and force to cause a small explosion throwing Stevonnie back towards her components. With a pain filled grunt and grimaced from burns Stevnnie stood up on their feet and charged forward again. The creature opted for a melee attack swinging a claw forward and clashing with Stevonnie shield. The fusion pushed the creature back near the edge of the statue. The creature snarled before inflating it's stomach and launching a volley of fire balls at Stevonnie. The fusion summoned a wall of shields, successfully blocking the assault.

Stevonie felt themselves getting worn down, and the statue getting a bit hotter. " I can't keep this this is exhausting!" They quickly shook the thought out of their head and returned their focus to the monster, who was already launching their next attack. How white flame flew swiftly at Stevonnie.

'I 'm gonna be roasted! Stevonnie braced for impact. She felt the heat but no impact she looked up to see Steven standing in front of them giant shield engaged. He gave his first fusion a small smile while looking at her from his peripheral. Before he felt himself getting pushed back

"Astral plane crazy right? At least we get to speak though. A little help thought, guys kind of tough. "

Stevonnie could only nod in agreement as placed her hand on the shield and pushed along with Steven ending in a stalemate. The creature increased its heat turning the flame stream to hot plasma super-heating the shield, it was soon eating through it..it was about to make thought the thick shield when…

"HYAH!

"GGGUUUAAAAHHH!

The two looked over to see the monster screaming, it's arms on the floor dying down and dissipating and near it, Connie Maheswaran with a makeshift sword exactly like Stevonine's own. A look of valorous rage on her face as she went in to strike at the creature neck only for it to slip away and find it self in between the three of them. The monster light pink eyes had a look of desperation as realized it's chances has dropped considerably.

Stevonnie wasn't about to give it a chance as they threw a giant shield the beast with all intention a decapitation, The beast leaped up and took a deep breath ready to counter attack when the shield crashed into the entirety of its left side , knocking it harshly to the ground behind Steven, flipping as it did.

Stevonnie and Steven both lifted arms up in amazement. "Nice Shot! Connie," didn't expect you to reflect so precisely" Steveonnie cheered as they kept their eyes on the creature, who was struggling to keep its form and color.

"Keke! KEKE!

The creature howl loudly as Connie walked up to the Stevonnie's left side as the three of them readied for it's next attack.

With a 'FWOOOSH' the creature started to expand it's arm-less body height, mass and heat the three looked on as the creature towered over them by several tens of feet and the heat it was producing was enough to become almost suffocating. Stevonnie and Steven screamed out in pain as they can feel the gem heating up in the real world, even Connie was grimacing and holding her abdominal. That when it took on a horrifying white glow and it's body became plasma. It mid-section stretching and stretching to it looked ready to burst.

They trio looked at each other before nodding in agreement. Stevonnie stretched out her hands while Steven placed one hand on their right shoulder and Connie one on their left. The other hand was interlaced with each other. The three concentrated on the task when the gems of Stevonnie and Steven, as well as the mid section of Connie started to shine even brighter than their opponent. In a quick flash that illuminated to astral plane the creature was encased in a large cube made of hexagonal bubbles shields, the same as pink Steven's.

With a clench of their fist they squeezed tightly the monster within. The monster imploded in a flash of blinded light but couldn't make the cube move yet alone destroy it.

The trio watched and as in awe as the flames, cracks and damages on the statue almost instantly were repaired as did the one one their actual gems and bodies. Almost instantly Connie pounced on Steven holding him tight and showering his face with kisses, overwhelmed that he was finally safe again. Stevonnie looked on as the two carried on feeling a bit like a child watching their parents fall in love again, before closing their eyes and re-awaking back into the waking world. There they saw the gems looking at them a little worry about weather they succeed. Stevonnie stood up from the fountain to revealed the gem intact and more brilliant than ever before…but inverted to look more like a hexagon diamond.

"Well..that's new."


End file.
